Editing a Generic Lighting Fixture in Revit Architecture Abstract The following tutorial will affect rendered images by quickly changing the distribution of Revit Architecture’s generic lighting fixtures. An IES file defines the light distribution emitted from a light source and is very important to achieve quality renderings. These improvements provide more accurate, realistic lighting in the rendered image. A fixture can be edited in great detail to provide excellent BIM information for a contractor.
When using Revit Architecture, the predefined lighting fixtures may be appropriate to use without creating a new one. Changing a few parameters such as the IES file will suffice for certain projects or earlier stages of design, and will take minimal time and effort.
Step 1 Open the family and save it as something else to not overwrite data. The “Downlight-Recessed Can” is shown below as an example.
Step 2 Right click on the distribution (yellow), and select ‘Instance Properties,’ followed by ‘Edit’ beside Light Source Definition. Here you will select the ‘Photometric Web’ icon in the bottom right corner and Apply then OK.
Step 3 In the main family editor toolbar, select ‘Types’ on the right. Here is where you can load a manufacturer’s IES file from their website and change other parameters as well. Currently it is set to ‘generic’, but simply find the location of the desired IES file.
Step 4 From a manufacturer’s specification sheet, other input data can be added. Such data includes dimensions, identity data, voltage, light loss factors, color temperature, and more. Below is the downlight adjusted with a Lithonia IES file.
The new fixture is now ready to be placed into a project. This is a very simple process that is much quicker and simpler than creating and editing a new fixture completely.
Abstract
The following tutorial will affect rendered images by quickly changing the distribution of Revit Architecture’s generic lighting fixtures. An IES file defines the light distribution emitted from a light source and is very important to achieve quality renderings. These improvements provide more accurate, realistic lighting in the rendered image. A fixture can be edited in great detail to provide excellent BIM information for a contractor.
When using Revit Architecture, the predefined lighting fixtures may be appropriate to use without creating a new one. Changing a few parameters such as the IES file will suffice for certain projects or earlier stages of design, and will take minimal time and effort.
Step 1
Open the family and save it as something else to not overwrite data. The “Downlight-Recessed Can” is shown below as an example.
Step 2
Right click on the distribution (yellow), and select ‘Instance Properties,’ followed by ‘Edit’ beside Light Source Definition. Here you will select the ‘Photometric Web’ icon in the bottom right corner and Apply then OK.
Step 3
In the main family editor toolbar, select ‘Types’ on the right. Here is where you can load a manufacturer’s IES file from their website and change other parameters as well. Currently it is set to ‘generic’, but simply find the location of the desired IES file.
Step 4
From a manufacturer’s specification sheet, other input data can be added. Such data includes dimensions, identity data, voltage, light loss factors, color temperature, and more. Below is the downlight adjusted with a Lithonia IES file.
The new fixture is now ready to be placed into a project. This is a very simple process that is much quicker and simpler than creating and editing a new fixture completely.